The officer didn't actually say he was able to identify the car as as a Google Maps car by virtue of the 360-degree cameras mounted on the roof. That seems to be a fabrication by El Reg.
The Press Release from the Middletown Police Department actually says:
"As the Vehicle passed by it was identified by Dean as a Google Mapping car with several 360 degree cameras mounted on a tall antenna on top of the car."
(I've only an FB link for it: https://www.facebook.com/100067048532793/posts/press-releaseon-07312023-at-approximately-1700-hours-chief-landon-j-dean-observe/618828023695477/)
Clearly the Google Street View decals all over the car helped in in that determination, with him then merely observing that there was a camera on a structure on top of it.